domingo, abril 20, 2008

THE house where East Timor's President, Jose Ramos-Horta, was shotand seriously wounded has been cleansed of evil spirits in acenturies-old Timorese ritual before his return to Dili this week.

Mr Ramos-Horta's relatives held the ritual after he decided to defysecurity advice and return to the thatched-roof house he built on ahill overlooking Dili harbour.

The ritual, which involved killing a chicken, allowed the spirit ofthe rebel leader, Alfredo Reinado, to leave peacefully. Reinado waskilled during attacks on the house on February 11.

Security officials strongly advised Mr Ramos-Horta not to return tolive in the house, which is in an isolated area. But he insisted,reluctantly agreeing to increased protection from foreign troops andTimorese soldiers.

Mr Ramos-Horta's office announced at the weekend he will return onThursday to what is expected to be a hero's welcome, beforeaddressing parliament.

Villagers who live near the house have white-washed trees, rocks andsignposts along the narrow road leading to the house.

They have also spent days filling in potholes by hand, trimming treesand planting bushes ahead of Mr Ramos-Horta's arrival.

"The villagers are excited about the president's return," said PauloRemedios, a presidential adviser who was also Reinado's lawyer.

The Government in Dili has backed the villagers' efforts by bringingin heavy roadbuilding machinery, which has been working day and nightto repair roads before his arrival.

Mr Ramos-Horta has spoken about how emotional it will be to return tothe house where he lay bleeding for more than 30 minutes before help arrived.

"I wouldn't shoot a dog or a pig in that way," he said, recovering ata private residence in Darwin.

Although still often in pain, Mr Ramos-Horta has made clear ininterviews with the Herald he has no intention of quitting thepresidency and will demand answers to questions about the attackswhich plunged the country of 1 million into renewed crisis.

Fretilin's general secretary, Mari Alkatiri, warned that any furtherdelay in seeking the truth "risks arousing further instability in ournation and erodes the goodwill of the international community towardsTimor-Leste".

Thousands of Timorese are expected to be at Dili's airport for MrRamos-Horta's arrival.